Advertising display



Nov. 1 1, 1969 G. PAQUETTE ADVERTI S ING DISPLAY Filed Dad. 14, 196'? 4Sheets-Sheet 1 69 ,E. e. PAQUETTE 3,477,157

' ADVERTISING DISPLAY Filed Dec. 14, 19s? 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Nov. 11, 1969E. e. PAQUETTE 3,477,157

ADVERTISING DISPLAY Filed Dec. 14. 1967- 4 Sheets-sheet a FIGS Nov. 1 1,1969 E. G. PAQUETTE 3,477,157

ADVERTISING DISPLAY Filed Dec. 14, 1967. 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 United StatesPatent US. Cl. 40-126 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An advertisingdisplay simulating a firefly, comprising a flashing light source fixedat the end of an elongated, flexible, irregularly or randomly movingmember.

This invention relates to an advertising display mechanism, moreparticularly to a simulated firefly.

Heretofore advertising displays showing simulated light figures havegenerally been based on lighting of multiple light sources, andaccording to predetermined sequences. However this limits the effectsobtainable and involves a relatively high display cost.

An advertising display simulating a firefly, comprising a ing display.Another object is a simulated firefly. Another object is a randomlymoving intermittently actuated light source. Further objects will becomeapparent as the following detailed description proceeds.

Referring now to the drawings, FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional drawing,FIG. 2 a diagrammatic drawing, and FIG. 3 a perspective view. FIG. 4 andFIG. 5 represent, also in perspective, parts of the same view as FIG. 3,however in different positions or stages.

In accordance with my invention, I attach a flashing light source to thefree end of an elongated elastically flexible irregularly moving memberwhich is moved jerkily by suitable means, for example those shown below,the flexibility and elasticity of said elongated member being such as tocause its oscillation on each jerk. In a darkish room, the elongatedmember is not seen, and the repeated reoccurrence of light flashes atunpredictable nonrecurring points, creates the illustion of a fireflyfluttering around.

Referring to the drawings, FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, I attach a light bulb atthe end of a flexible supporting means, 2, which is attached to anangularly oriented, flippable holding member, 3, such as a sleeve orpiece of a tube, which in turn is attached to a shaft 4, loosely, and bymeans of a single attaching means such as a bolt or shaft 5, which willflip on member 4 so as to cause a sudden displacement or jerk on thesupporting member 2, causing a sudden spatial displacement of the lightsource 1 whenever shaft 4 moves so that the center of gravity of theshaft 2 and members connected with its shifts, causing a suddendisplacement along axle 5. The shaft 4 is caused to rotate by a drivingmeans 6 which is most suitably a small electric motor such as is used inclock movements. The electric bulb 1 is supplied with current through aflashing means such as a conventional relaxation oscillator circuitcomprising resistors, capacitors, transistors and rectifiers. When aneon light bulb is employed, transistors are not required due to thebreakdown characteristics of the neon bulb. The electric wiringconnecting this means 7 to the lamp 1 is not shown for the sake ofsimplicity, nor is the electrical supply to the motor.

' ice When this assembly is energized, the motor 6 will cause the shaft4 to revolve, preferably at about 1 to 20 r.p.m., and the intermittentcurrent supplied, for example through a commutator assembly 8, willcause the lamp 1 to flash at say 20-150 flashes/minute. When theassembly is placed in a not-too-strongly illuminated room, this lightsource, mostly a neon or incandescent lamp will be visible only whenenergized. When the flashing occurs at intervals between of a second and4 seconds, the impression is that of a firefly, because the device isrevolving at such rate in relation to the flashing that the flash willbecome visible in different positions, thus creating the impression of afirefly fluttering about in a fairly wide radius. The rate of flashingshould not equal the speed of rotation, however, so that flashing willoccur in different positions of the light source.

It is possible to multiply the motion by using multiple sleeves andshafts, by attaching several rods and lamps to these, and by paintinglamps in zones or stripes, so that the lights have a different color indifferent positions. This can give the illusion of a multiplicity offireflies flashing in diflerent colors, and in this case, in particular,higher rates of revolution and of flashing may be prefered, say withinthe ranges of /2 to 50 r.p.m. and 10 to 500 flashes per minute.

The flexible holding means 2 can be made of steel spring such as is usedin belting of movie projectors or of coiled plastic monofilament, or itcan be made out of highly flexible glass or quartz rod or a rod of aplastic such as nylon or glass-reinforced plastic such as fishpolematerial or heavy monofilaments or bundles of monofilaments of plasticssuch as polypropylene, polyoxymethylene, polyacetals, and the like.

FIGURES 4 and 5 show dilferent positions of the light source 1 in thecourse of operation. FIG. 5 shows the light source close to its apex,and FIG. 4 at a nadir point to which the light source has been carriedby its momentum following a rapid jerk due to shift of the angle betweenshaft 4 and axle 5. It will then rebound elastically from this position,but by then the rotation of shaft and axle will have carried it sidewaysas it continues to oscillate. The path of a light source thus becomes acomplicated compound motion, non-recurrent and impossible to predict, asthe light source is visible only when it flashes.

The parameters of the invention can be varied-limited only by the claimsin which it is my intent to cover all novelty inherent in the inventionas broadly as possible in view of prior art. Having thus disclosed myinvention, I claim:

1. As a firefly simulator, a flashing light source at the end of anelongated, elastically flexible irregularly moving member, means formoving said member jerkily, the flexibility and elasticity of saidelongated member being such as to cause its oscillation on each jerk.

2. As a firefly simulator, a device comprising a flashing light sourcesituated at the end of a flexible elongated supporting means, suchsupporting means being slippable, connected with rotating means, therotation being between /z and 50 revolutions per minute, and the rate offlashing being different from the rate of rotation and within the rangeof 10 to 500 flashes per minute.

3. As claim 1, said light source being a neon light, the supportingmeans being rigid spiral, the slipping means being a hollow sleeveconnected axle with a slipping joint, said rotating means being anelectric motor, and said in- 3 '4 termit tent flashing means being anelectronic delay cir- FOREIGN PATENTS cult' 1,234,725 5/1960 France.

4. As clalm 1, the rate of rotatlon belng about 1-20 486,330 11 Germarmr.p.m. and the rate of flashing about 25-150 flashes/min.

5 EUGENE R. CAPOZIO, Primary Examiner W. J. CONTRERAS, AssistantExaminer UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,530,404- 11/1950 Seares 40-1392,875,538 3/1959 Faville 40106.31 -8; 340

References Cited

